[jsfg_cinti] Blue Skies Ahead for IT Jobs

More good news?

Regards,
Lance Feldman

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http://www.cio.com/archive/120105/keynote.html?action=print

Blue Skies Ahead for IT Jobs

Contrary to popular belief, career opportunities in
computer science are at an all-time high. Weâ??ve got
to spread that message among students from a rainbow
of backgrounds, or risk becoming a technological
backwater.

BY MARIA KLAWE

The future of the U.S. information technology
industryâ??and thus the competitiveness of the
nationâ??is caught in a trap of misperception. Since
the burst of the dotcom bubble in 2000, young people
have avoided careers in information technology. The
number of computer science majors at U.S. universities
has plummeted. 
...
Yet the demand for people with computer science skills
is at an all-time high. The latest figures from the
U.S. Department of Labor show that the number of
computing-related jobs has surpassed the previous peak
in 2000. 

What is more, computing-related jobs are no longer an
isolated component of American industries; IT
underpins every function of the business
communityâ??market research, product design, finance,
strategic planning, environmental issuesâ??every
aspect of doing and leading. That means these jobs are
not only vital but fun. They require people who have
strong technical knowledge but who also can work and
contribute in a much broader realm. A recent New York
Times article dubbed this kind of IT professional "the
renaissance geek." The leaders of Microsoft, Google
and other companies have made their point clear: Give
us more well-trained, well-rounded computer
scientists!

The reality is that a career in IT is dynamic and in
demand. Yet the myth of a narrow, boring and uncertain
work life persists. Unless this misperception is
corrected, we will continue to lose talent, and the
United States will become a technology backwater.
Companies will shift technical and innovative work
offshore. Our standard of living will decline because
the driving force behind today's economies is
innovation, which, in turn, requires a workforce that
is highly educated in science and technology.
...
It will take time to see the effects of many of these
changes, so we have to make a long-term commitment.
And it is critical that correcting a misperception
does not create a new one that overstates our case.
There is no question that a degree in computer science
is not a magic bullet for financial success. Indeed,
the days of the dotcom twentysomethings who became
instant millionaires are over. A successful long-term
career in computing requires the same effort and skill
that are necessary in other fields: developing strong
people and communication skills, willingness and
ability to learn new technologies, understanding what
makes businesses successful and adapting to change.
Still, the opportunity in computer science for
creative work that makes a difference equals or
surpasses that in any other field I can imagine.

**********************
Maria Klawe is dean of the School of Engineering and
Applied Science and a professor of computer science at
Princeton University. She can be reached at
klawe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Send comments to Executive Editor
Alison Bass at abass@xxxxxxxx
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